Dear Colleagues,

Happy summer! I hope you are finding time and space for rest and rejuvenation. I recently returned from Communio, the Institute for Faith and Learning’s annual retreat that seeks to give Baylor employees time to reflect upon the relationship between faith and learning and the promise and challenges in Christian higher education. The Communio experience and goals are defined by three R’s – rest, reflection, and relationships. I’ve wanted to attend for years, and this year, things aligned just right for me to do so. I’m grateful for the excellent work of Elijah Jeong and Nikki Odermann at the Institute for Faith and Learning for all they did to ensure a great experience.

During the Communio retreat, I was especially struck by the responses to the prompting question, “Why do you do what you do?” especially in the context of work at Baylor. This question of calling resonated deeply with the attendees. People shared many personal stories, but the through-line was accounts of being seen, known, and loved – by God or by people.

Even as a Baptist-affiliated institution, Baylor is home to many traditions within the Christian faith, and our community holds a variety of views on any one subject. We are different. But we are pulled together by faith and this sense of belonging and connection to one another.

This spring, I attended an Easter service where the minister shared the story of Jesus, newly arisen, being approached by a grief-stricken Mary outside of the tomb. The minister noted that when Jesus spoke to Mary, he called her by her name, and she instantly knew him. This is central to the Easter story—that our Savior knows us and calls us by our names.

Thank you for being the kind of community that so often reflects our God, who loves us perfectly, and where one of the key things that drives and draws us is being known, loved, and cared for by our peers.

Best wishes,

Nancy Brickhouse, Ph.D.
Provost

Academic Affairs Announcements

David Brooks Returning to Baylor

We are excited to announce that we will host David Brooks on September 10 for a day-long slate of events and activities. We encourage you to read Mr. Brooks' latest book, "How to Know a Person," and integrate aspects of the work into your courses this fall as you are able. Mr. Brooks is a best-selling author, columnist, and commentator, as well as a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Given his knowledge of present-day politics and foreign affairs, we expect his visit will continue to foster the spirit of respect and understanding that undergirds President Livingstone's Baylor Conversation Series on civil discourse. Mark your calendars for this special event!

Campus Dining and Facilities Services Transition Update

Earlier this year, Baylor announced it would welcome new dining and facilities services providers to campus, effective June 1. The transition process began several months ago and will continue through the start of the fall semester. For an update on summer dining operations and facilities maintenance support, be sure to review the recent announcement.

Vice Provost’s Corner

Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs

Announcing New Faculty Emeriti
Congratulations to colleagues who have been granted the rank of faculty emeritus. President Livingstone approved this honorary designation for twenty-nine faculty members based on the recommendation of the provost following nominations from each dean. A complete list can be found on the Office of the Provost’s website.

You will recall that earlier this year, the provost approved expanding the rank qualifications for emeritus status to reflect our broader range of Baylor faculty. This is the first year that emeritus designation has been given to faculty in lecturer, clinical, and academic professional lines. Again, a warm congratulations to all!

Vice Provost for Institutional Research and Professional Education

Degree Award Information Available 
The Office of Institutional Research has released the degrees awarded information for the spring semester. These data can now be accessed through the University Reports channel in the Institutional Research Metrics and Analytics (IRMA) team.

Users can filter the degrees awarded report using various criteria such as college, major, citizenship, honors, degree, demographics, and others. Data can also be exported if needed. If you are interested in gaining access to IRMA, please complete the IRMA Access Request Form.

New Faculty Resource Center
Graduate Professional Education is dedicated to providing a central hub of resources relating to online education at Baylor – pulling together links to help pages on Canvas, Banner, Kaltura, and others to put assistance at your fingertips. This new Faculty Resource Center will be updated frequently and is ever-expanding. If you have a specific need for support or have a request to add information to our resource center, feel free to contact Cole Tompkins.

Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Academic Affairs

Congratulations to the McNair Scholars Program Seniors
The Baylor McNair Scholars Program aims to prepare low-income, first-generation, and other underrepresented students to acquire the knowledge, skills, and capacities necessary to successfully navigate a path to a Ph.D. program following graduation from Baylor. 94% of the 2024 McNair Scholars graduates have been accepted into graduate school programs, many of them receiving national awards and fellowships such as GEM, NSF GRFP, and Fulbright. Interested in learning more about this special group? Check out this recent article on Baylor’s Media and Public Relations website.

Academy for Teaching and Learning (ATL)

Please consider the following opportunities from the ATL:

• Teaching with AI Playground, June 21, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Experiment with how generative AI can enhance your course design, lesson plans, feedback, and assignments while also helping students develop AI literacy. This session is fully on Zoom.
• Jump Start Teaching Workshop (formerly known as Adjunct Teaching Workshop), August 17, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For all (full-time and adjunct) faculty who want to brush up in preparation for the fall semester, this workshop will highlight effective course design, teaching, and assessment practices.

Office of the Registrar

Publication of 24-25 Catalogs 
All 2024-2025 catalogs (Undergraduate, Graduate, Seminary, Social Work, and Law) are scheduled to be published on June 14.

Spotlight on the Academy

University Libraries, Museums, and the Press

Baylor University Press proudly announces three upcoming releases:

• “Tales from Limerick Forest” by David Lyle Jeffrey (July 1).
• “Kurt Kaiser: Icon and Conscience of Contemporary Christian Music” by Terry W. York (July 1).
• “Kingdoms of This World: How Empires Have Made and Remade Religions” by Philip Jenkins (July 15).

Important Academic Dates

Additional deadlines are available on the Academic Units Deadlines calendar.

• June 19- Juneteenth (University holiday).
• June 20- Academic Leadership Seminar #1.
• June 30- Student learning assessment reports due to the Office of Institutional Effectiveness.
• July 4- Independence Day (University holiday).
• August 6- Academic Leadership Seminar #2.
• August 16- Chair Leadership Retreat (all chairs).
• August 17- Summer Commencement.
• August 19-20- New Faculty Orientation.
• August 23- Convocation.
• August 24- Faculty Senate Retreat.
• August 26- First Day of Class.
• September 5- Fall Faculty Meeting.
• September 10- David Brooks visit.
• September 17- Faculty and Staff of Color Welcome.

Previous issues of the Provost Newsletter can be accessed on the Office of the Provost website.